The use of a gas burner is well known in an absorption refrigeration apparatus. The gas is commonly supplied by a conduit with a safety shut-off valve that can be manually disconnected. As is known, the gas burner is used for supplying heat, for example, to a boiler arrangement of the refrigerator. Absorption refrigerators usually operate either by means of gas or electric, however, in house trailers or boats, as well as remote locations where electric power is not always available, a gas burner is utilized. The gas burner for the absorption refrigeration apparatus operates in a closed sealed system which has an intake for combustion air from the ambient and expels combustion or other exhaust gases from the system. Most commonly the gas burner is enclosed in a burner housing located in the lowest part of the sealed system. On many occasions, when cold, humid air is present in the burner housing, and an attempt is made to start up the refrigerator, it often occurs that the first attempt to ignite the burner is unsuccessful. The ignition of the burner is usually brought about by means of an electric spark generated between an electrode and the burner nozzle while gas is being emitted to said burner nozzle. If the first attempt to start up the burner is unsuccessful, the likelihood of success on the second and following attempts are not very good since the mixture of gas and cold air present in the burner housing is not the proper mixture for ignition.
One attempt to overcome the above mentioned drawback has been proposed which incorporates a channel connected to the burner housing by means of an aperture in the wall or bottom thereof. Thus, the free end of the channel is tightly closed during the normal operation of the burner in order to maintain a sealed system, and is opened only when the starting up of the burner has not been successful. This arrangement has resulted in only a limited success since the desired ignition of the burner can only be achieved by a person having a certain skill in handling of the start-up device.
An object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device for a gas burner of an absorption refrigeration apparatus without the requirement of special knowledge or ability to ignite the burner. The device includes a construction and arrangement in which part of the burner housing of the sealed system is movable against spring action by means of an element disposed near the disconnecting means of a safety shut-off valve.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a manual arrangement in which gas is supplied to the burner and the sealed combustion system is opened to the atmosphere.
A further feature of the present invention is to provide an arrangement whereby atmosphere is admitted to the gas burner housing before the gas supply is furnished to said housing.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple but reliable device for igniting a gas burner of a refrigerator.